Danniella Westbrook has revealed in an interview that she's battling cancer.
She said that she'll have a hysterectomy in three weeks, and is now facing an anxious wait to find out whether the cancer has spread.
Speaking to the Sunday Mirror, Danniella said: “I’ve always said I am not scared of dying. But when the doctor said, ‘You have cancer’, straight away my thoughts turned to Jade and that I don’t want to die. I know I need to fight.”
Danniella was good friends with Jady Goody, who died in 2009 age 27 from cervical cancer. Her death led to a surge of women seeking screenings for the condition.
Doctors initially misdiagnosed Danniella after finding a clot the size of a tangerine in her uterus, as they thought she was pregnant.
However, she later collapsed in agony and pal Kerry Katona drove her to hospital. She then returned home to Spain to receive the diagnosis.
Danniella admitted to turning to cocaine to cope with the news initially, which she is now ashamed of. She said she is now determined to fight.
“After what happened with Jade I was frightened to talk to anyone about my cancer at first. She was my friend and what happened was so awful.
She added: “I want to live and sort out my health. I know I have to fight, I know I have to get up and battle it.”
Womb cancer runs in Danniella's family - she was 15 when her mum got diagnosed with the condition. Danniella said she is determined to get treatment on the NHS, like her mother did.
Danniella starred in Eastenders on and off until 2016. She has also appeared in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and Celebrity Big Brother.